Embodiments of the invention relate to preventing electrical leakage between a semiconductor substrate and an electrode in a MEMS microphone.
In a MEMS microphone, the overlap of an electrode (e.g., moveable membrane, stationary front plate) and a semiconductor substrate creates a susceptibility to electrical leakage from non-insulating particles (or other forms of leakage) that come into contact with the surfaces of both components. Insulating protection coatings are typically applied to MEMS microphones to prevent electrical leakage/shorts. However, conductive paths, caused by non-insulating particles, can be created during the manufacturing process prior to deposition of any coatings.